Car dumper



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A. F. CASE GAR DUMPER Filed Dec. 22, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 26 1926. 1,570,943.

A. F. CASE CAR DUMPER Filed Dec. 22. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet; 2

Jan. 26 1926. 1,570,943

-A. F. CASE CAR BUMPER Filed Dec 22, 1925. s Sheets-Sheet a Fan.

A. F. CASE.

CAR DUMPER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 22, 1923 Jan, 9 E9260 A. F. CASE CAR DUMPER Filed D80. 22, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 v viz LL m fi d $0 k Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

.uurran srar PAT 11 i m; 5, 52 l ARTHUR F. CASE, OF CLEVELAND, OIHIO, ASSIG-NOR TO THE VIELLMAN-SEAVEEEPMDLEF .GAN COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OE 0E1?)- GAR BUMPER.

Application filed. December 22, 1923. Serial No. GMJ M.

To all whom it may concern.

Re it known that I, ARTHUR F. Case, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the countyof Ouyahoga and 6 State of Ohio, have invented a certain new of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to car dampers of W the type having a car receiving cradle which is turned about an axis to dump a car supported by the cradle, and the invention has particular reference to the car clamping mechanism which holds the car onto the cradle while the cradle is being turned to and from car receiving position. The present invention is an improvement over the car dumper shown in my prior Patent No. 1,407,926 issued Feb. 28, 1922.

An object of the present invention is to provide a car clamp upon the cradle which is automatically actuated to engage the top of the car upon the dumping movement of the cradle and which is' movably supported upon the side ot the cradle opposite that toward which the cradle turns in dumping so that the car clamp does not obstruct the flow of coal or other material from the car and cannot be damaged by the impact of the coal discharged from the car. 'A further object is to provide an automatically actuated clamp of the ivoted beam type with actuating means which, will hold the armupon the top of the car at various angles with respect to the support for the pivoted arm so that the clamp will be effectively applied regardless of inequalities in the height of opposite sides of the car or of the material projecting above the sides thereof.

A. further object is to simplify the trip mechanism through which the counter weight is caused to apply pressure to the clamps.

With the above and other objects in View, as will hereinafter appear. the invention may be briefly summarized as constituting in certain novel details of construction and in combination andarrangements of parts which will be described in the specification and set forth in the appended claims. lleterence should be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig.1 is an eleration of the rotary cradle: Fig. 2flis a top plan view of the cradle; Fig. 3 is a trans verse section showing a car clamp and its actuating mechanism in side elevation; Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views showing separately the disposition of the clamp lifting and clamp holding ropes; Fig. 6 is 0 and useful Improvement-fin Car Dumper-s,-

ing drum; Fig. 10 is an axial section through the cable winding drums.

. Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, the damper shown has a cradle 10 adapted to receive a loaded railway car 11, adapted to be turned ,about its longitudinal axis through a pore tion of arevolution suflicient to dump the contents from the car and to permit it to drop into a suitable receptacle such as a y hopper'12, the details of which do not con- -'cern the present invention. The cradle 10 is built of suitable structural material of any suitable design, the cradle being open at 22 the top for the discharge of the material so that between its ends the cradle is substantially U-shaped, but at its end it is provided with circular end frames 13 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The cradle is supported at each end by two pairs of rollers 14- which are carried by equalizers 15, pivotally supported upon "the foundation 16, these rollers preferably engaging circular rails 14 wholly or partially encircling the end frame 13. The cradle may be turned or revolved by any suitable means preferably by a suitable motor mounted alongside the cradle. its shown herein, the drive shaft 18 extends alongside of the cradle and is geared to shafts 19 which carry pinions 20 in mesh with, gear segments 21 which partially encircle the frame of the cradle. Any other suitable means may be. provided for supporting and rotating the cradle and as my will invention does not. directly concern any of these features, the above brief description considered in connection with the drawings is thought to be suficient.

The bottom of the cradle is provided with will a platen 22 having rails adapted to receive the car '11 and mounted on rollers 23 so that the platen and the car on it can be moved laterally toward one side of the cradle, whic M maybe'termed the dumping side, inthe wel m fall bars

known manner. Springs 24 may be provided to start the lateral movement of the platen and car at the beginning of the dumpingmovement of the cradle, the sprin s 24 being carried by tubular bars 24 whic are attached at their inner ends to the platen and carrya longitudinally extending channel bar 24 on their outer ends. Suspension links 24 connected to the channel bar 24 and to the frame work of the cradle serve to support the outer end of the bars 24 and the springs 24 are interposed between a plate 24 fixed to the platen support and the channel bar 24" at the outer ends of the tubular/ 24. Fixed cross rods 25 extend through the platen and serve to hold the platen against endwise movement and to prevent movement of the platen away from its support. Depending from the'underside of the platen 22 adjacent the ends thereof are brackets 26 which carry rollers 27 which engage with fixed abutments in the form of rigid beams 28 secured to the foundation at the ends of the cradle and projecting into the path of the rollers 27 upon the return of the cradle to its initial position after a dumping operation. When the cradle is turned in a direction to dump the car, the piston 22, together with the car is shifted toward the dumping side of the cradle until the platen 22 engages with blocking 29 carriedv by the cradle. Upon return movement of the cradle, as the cradle approaches its initial. position, the rollers 27 engage the abutment .28 shifting the platen away from blocking 29 and against the action of t it springs 24 so that when the cradle reaches its initial position in which the car supporting platen 22 is horizontal, the platen will have been shifted to a position in which the track rails thereon align with the fixed ncoming and outgoing track rails.

series of clamp slides 3 are mounted in suitable upright guides 31 carried by supporting columns 232 which are positioned upon. the side of the cur opposite that toward which the cradle turns in dumping. The clamp slides are provided with car engaging shoulders 33 and clamping beams 34 which extend over the tops of the cars aripivolcd intermediate the ends thereof at 9,5 to the uulel end portions of the ear engaging shoulders 35; of the slides. Upright guides 36 upon the side of the car opposite the slide 30 receive the free ends ofthe clamping beams 34 and serve to prevent lateral displacement of the beams. Each of the clamping beams 34 has a pair of rope sluzarcs ii? mounted side by side at the outer end thereof and a pair of similar sheaves 28 at their inner ends. A rope sheave 3.) is mounted upon the upper end of the slide 30 and a sheave 40 and 4. mounted upon the upper end of the supporting column 32. Zr pair of clamp holding ropes 41 are anchored adj acent the bottom of the car receiving portion of the cradle on the dumping side thereof and extend upwardly over the end sheaves 37 of the clamping beam 34, inwardly over the sheaves 38 at the inner end of the beam and downwardly over a uide sheave 43 adjacent the lower end 0 the clamp supporting column 32 to the clamp holding drum which will be hereinafter described. A lifting rope 44 is anchored at 45 to the back of the clamp supporting column 32 and extends upwardly over the guide sheave 40 and through the guide bracket 40 at the top of the column 32 down around the sheave 39 carried by the slide 30 over the sheave 40 at the top of the column 32, thence downwardly over a guide sheave 46 adjacent the lower end of the column 32 to the clamp lifting drum which will be hereinafter described. 7

The ends of the clamp holding cables are attached to and wound upon a clamp holding drum 47 (see Fig. 10) mounted upon the cradle beneath the supporting column 32 and I the clamp lifting rope 44 is attached to and wound upon a drum 48 mounted alongside of the drum 47 The clamp holding drum 47 is loosely mounted upon a sleeve 49 which is supported upon a horizontal shaft 49 carried by the cradle frame-work adjacent its periphery and the clamp lifting drum 48 is fixed to the sleeve 49. A spiral chain wheel 50 is formed integral with the sleeve 49 at one end thereof and is flexibly connected with the clamp holding drum 47 so that while the drums 47 and 48 normally rotate in unison. a certain amount of relative movement is permitted. The flexible c0nnection is through a-lever 51 which is pivotcd intermediate its ends to the drum 4?, the lever 51 being connected by means of a link 52 at. one end with the spiral chain wheel 50 and at its other end with the drum -17 through a telescopic yielding link formed by a rod 53 which is pivoted to the end of the lever 51 and has an enlargedhead 54, a sleeve 55 which is pivoted to the drum 47 and a compression coil spring 56. the head being slidable in the sleeve and the spring 56 being interposed between the head 54 of the rod and the free end of the sleeve. Counter-weight arms 57 are pivotally mounted upon each of the drum supporting shafts. 49 and carry counterweight. rollers 58 at their outer ends which engage with fixed inclincd plates 59 when the cradle is in car receiving position. The counterweight arms 57 carry pawls 60 which are adapted to engage with ratchet teeth 6O formed upon the clamp holding drums 47. the pawls 60 being normally held out of engagement with'thc ratchet, teeth by means of compression coil springs 61 carried by the arms 57 and en gaging :1 lug 61 projecting above the pivot of the pawl. The pawls 6O carry rollers 62 which are adapted during the dumping movement of the cradle to engage with pivoted cams 63 carried by the cradle. The pivoted cams 63 are provided with buffer springs 64 so that they can yield slightly upon engagement of the rollers 62 therewith to prevent injury to the pawl it upon engagement with a cam in case it is moved by the cam adjacent the end of the tooth of the ratchet wheel. During the rotation of the cradle in dumping the counterweights 58 gradually ride oil of the inclined plates 59 and hang in vertical position. Upon continued movement of the cradle the rollers 62 engage with the cams 63, causing the pawls 60 to engage with the ratchet teeth 60 so that during the remainder of the dumping movement the counterweights 58 will act upon the clamp holding drums 47 in a direction to apply pressure to the clamping beams 34. For lifting the clamps out of engagement with the car during the return movement of the cradle, lifting chains are connected at one end to an car 66 adjacent the outer end of each of the I counterweight arms 57, extend around a guide sheave 67 mounted on the cradle inwardly of the winding drumsand are attached at their opposite ends to the spiral chain wheels '50. As'the cradle is returning to normal position the counterweight rollers 58 will engage with the fixed inclined plates 59 and will he swung outwardly thereby so that a pull will be exerted upon the chains 55 causing the chains to unwind from the chain wheels 50 rotating the lifting drums 48 in a direction to move the clamp slides 30 upwardly. By reason of the fact that the holding ropes 41 and. lifting ropes 44 are,-

wound in opposite directions upon the drums 47 and 48, the ropes will be paid out as the lifting ropes 44 are Wound up.

The operation of the machine is as follows lWhen the car 11 is run onto the platen of the cradle, the cradle, of course. is in its normal central position with the platen centrally disposed on the bottom of the cradle and with its rails in line with the'rails of the approach and run-off tracks. At such time the clamps are in a position some distance above the top of the car, the counterweights rest on the inclined surfaces 59. the counter-weight arms being then' disconnected from the winding drums, the lifting chains 65 are nearly unwound from the chain wheel 50, the clamp holding ropes 41 are nearly unwound from the holding .rope

drums 47 and the lifting ropes 44 are wound upon the clamp lifting drums 48.

As soon as the cradle begins to tilt, the platen and cradle move laterally toward the dumping side and after about 15 of rotary movement the side of the car rests a ainst the blocking 29 on the side of the crad .e, the

clamp being still out of engagement with the top of the car. As the cradle begins to rotate in the dumping direction the counter wei ht rollers will move up the inclined gun es 59 permitting the counterweight arms 57 to swing inwardly, slackening the lifting chains 65 so that the car clamps due to their weight will descend toward the top of the car unwinding the lifting ropes 44 from their drums 48 until the car clamps rest upon the top of the car. During this part of the operation it is obvious that the clamp holding ropes 41 will be wound in the same amount as the lifting ropes 44 have been unwound. Consequently when the slides 30 and beams 34 rest upon the top of the car the rotation of the drums will cease. After the counterweights 58 have leftthe inclined guides 59. the counterweight arms-57 will hang vertical until the pawls 60 have been thrown into engagement with the holding drums 48 byfengagement of the rollers 62 with the cams 63, this egagement being effected after the cradle has rotated about 45.

During the remainder of the dumping movement the counterweight arms 57 are fixed with respect to theholding drums 4S and as the cradle turns the arms 57 are swung outwardly from vertical position so that the actual or gravity leverage of the counterweights is constantly increasing until the tipple has been revolved about 150 aft-er which the effective leverage of the counterweights is slightly decreased. This arrangement produces the greatest holding force upon the car at that part of the cycle terial projecting above the sides of the car will cause either the shoulder 33 or the clamping beam 34 to be brought to a stop before the remainder of the clamp is brought into engagement. A tilting movement of the clan'iping beam 34 as it is brought to clamping position will cause a lengthening or shortening of the loop of theholding rope over the beam and consequently will vary theturning movement of the holding drum 47. To compensate for this pivotal movement and to enable the lifting rope drum to pay out a sutlicient length of ropes to permit holding ropes 41 to exert the proper pres sure upon the clamping 1mm 34 regardless of the angular movements thereof as it as sumcs its clamping position, the flexible connection is provided between the clamp lifting and clamp holding drums which permits suflicient relative movement between the two drums to compensate for the angular movements of the clamping beam.

During the return movement of the cradle after the contents of the car has been discharged, the pressure exerted by the holding ropes ll upon the clamping bar 34 will be gradually released and as the pawl 60 moves out of engagement with the cam 63, the counterweight arm 57 will bet'reed from the holding drum 48. As the tipple approaches its starting position, the counterweight rollers 58 will engage the inner ends of the fixed inclined plates 59 and will be swung outwardly. unwinding the chains from the chain wheel 50 and rotating the drums 47 and 48 in a direction to wind up the clamp lifting cable 44 and to unwind the holding cables 41 raising the car clamps to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 where they are clear of the car.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the same, a car clamp carried by the cradle having a part adapted to extend across the top of the car and movable toward and from the top of the car, and means for slidably supporting the clamp at the side of the car receiving portion of the cradle opposite that toward which the cradle is turned to dump the car.

2. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the same, a car clamp carried by the cradle having a part adapted to extend across the top of the car and movable toward and from the top of the car, means for slidably supporting the clamp at the side of theccar receiving portion of the cradle opposite that toward which the cradle is turned to dump the car, and means for automatically setting the clamp during-the dumping movement of the cradle.

3. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the same, a car clamp comprising a slide mounted upon the side of the car receiving portion of the cradle opposite that toward whichthc material is dumped outand a pivoted clamping beam carried bythe slide and adapted to extend over thetop of the car, means for shifting the slide and beam toward and from the top of the car and for holding the beam in engagement with the top of the car during the dumping operation.

4. In a car dumper, a rotatably supported cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the same, a car clamp carried by the cradle, and means carried by the cradle for automatically moving the clamp into engagement with the ear and for holding said clamp in engagement with the car during the dumping operation, said clamp and clamp applying means being mounted on the side of the cradle opposite that toward which the material is dumped.

In a car damper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the menace same, a car clamp carried by the cradle comprising a slide mounted for movement toward and from the top of the car on the side of the car receiving portion of the cradle opposite that toward which the ma terial is dumped, and a clamping beam can ried by the slide and adapted to extend over the top of the car, and means carried by the cradle for automatically applying and. holding the clamp during the dumping opera tion, said clamp applying mechanism being mounted upon the same side of the cradle as the slide.

6. In a car dumper, the combination with a rotatably mounted member adapted to receive a loaded car and tobe turned to dump the same, of a car clamp carried by the cradle and mounted for movement to ward and from the top of a car thereon,

holding and lifting ropes connected to theclamp, means for pulling in one of said ropes and for normally, paying out the cable a roportional amount to emit movement of the clamp toward and From the car, and means permitting one of said ropes have a movement in excess of its normal movement with respect to the other rope.

7. In a car dumper, the combination with a rotatably mounted member adapted to re ceive a loaded car, the same, of a car clamp carried by the cradle and mounted for movement toward and from the top of a car thereon, said clamp having relatively movable car engag- 'ing parts, holding and lifting ropes connected to said clamp, one of sald ropes having a running connection with one of the relatively movable parts of the clamp means for pulling in one of said ropes and for normally paying out the other rope a proportional amount to ermit movement of the clamp toward and rom the car, and means permitting one of said cables to have a movement in excess of its normal movement with respect to the other cable to permit relative movement between the parts of the clamp.

and to be turned to dump 'lli 8. In a car damper, the combination with a rotatably mounted member adapted to re ceive a loaded ear and to be turned to dump the same, of a car clamp carried by the damper and mounted for movement toward and from the top of a car thereon, holding and lifting cables havingrunning connec tions with the clamp and adapted to shift the clamp toward and from the car, two separate winding drums one for each of the cables, and automatic means acting alter nately upon the winding drum when free from said automatic cable to unwind when tension is applied. thereto.

9. In a car dumper, a, rotatably mounted car receiving member, a car clamp mounted on the damper for movement toward and means permitting its t l SC) from the car, oppositely disposed holding and retracting ropes connected to the clamp to apply and release the same, separate operating means for the ropes each adapted to be actuated by a pull on its rope to permit the rope to pay out when the other rope is actuated, and-automatic means for alternately actuating the ropes during a dumping cycle to apply and release the clamp.

10., In a car dumper, a rotatably mounted car receiving member, a car clamp mounted on the damper for movement toward and "from the car, said clamp comprising relatively movable car engaging parts oppositely disposed holding and retracting ropes connected to relatively movable parts of the clamp, means for pulling ineither of said ropes and at the same time causing the other rope to be paid out, and yielding means for maintaining a tension upon the rope which is being paid out.

11, In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the same, a car clamp carried by the cradle, a pair of drums carried by the cradle, one oi? said drums having a holding rope connected to the clamp and the other of said drums havin I a lifting rope connected to the clamp, t e holding and lifting ropes being wound in opposite directions upon said drums, yielding means connecting said drum and normally causing said drums to rotate in'unison but permitting relative rotative movement. 7

12., in a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the same, a. pair of drums carried by the cradle, yielding means connecting said drums whereby they normally rotate in unison, the yielding connection, however, permitting one drum to rotate relatively to the other, a holding rope connecting the clamp to one of the drums, a lifting rope connecting the clamp to the other of the ropes, said r pes being wound in opposite directions on the drums, and means carried. by the cradle for automatically rotating the drums in a direction to apply the clamp during the clamping movement of the cradle and in the opposite direction to release the clamps during the return movemerit till all

13. in. a. car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the a car clamp carried by the cradle comprising aslide, and a clamping beam pivoted intermediate its ends to the slide, sheaves on opposite ends of the clamping beam, a Winding drum carried by the cradle, and a holding rope connected at one end to said drum, passing over the sheaves on the clamping beam and anchored at its opposite end to the cradle.

14-. lln a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a can and to be turned to dump the same, a car clamp carried by the cradle comprising a slide provided w1th a car engaging part and mounted on the side of the by the cradle, and a holding rope connected at one end to said drum, passing over the sheaves onthe clamping beam and anchored at its opposite end to the cradle.

15..l.n a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the same, a car clamp carried by the cradle, said clamp comprising. a slide and a clamping beam pivoted intermediate its ends to the slide, sheaves upon opposite ends of the clamping beam, a holding rope anchored at one end to the cradle and extending over said sheaves, a Winding drum to which the opposite end of said rope is attached, a second winding drum, a yielding driving connection between said drums and a lifting rope connected to said second drum and to the slide.

16. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the same, a car' clamp carried by the. cradle, said clamp comprising a slide and a clamping beam pivoted intermediate its ends to the slide, sheaves upon opposite. ends of the clamping beam, a holding rope anchored at one end to the cradle and extending over said sheaves, a Winding drum to which the opposite end of said rope is attached, a second winding drum, a yielding driving connection between said drums, a lifting rope connected to said second drum and to the slide, and means for automatically operating drums to apply and release the clamp during the dumping cycle.

17 In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the same, a car clamp carried by the cradle and movable into and out of engagement with a car thereon, a clamp applying and holding rope connected with the clamp, a winding drum for said holding rope mounted on the cradle, a ratchet carried by the drum, a counterweighted a'rm pivoted to swing about the axis of the drum, a pawl on said arm adapted to engage said ratchet but normally out of engagement therewith, and a cam on the cradle engageable with said pawl during the dumping movement of the eradle to move the pawl into engagement with the ratchet to connect said counterweighted arm to said holding rope drum..

18. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a. car and to be turned to dump the same, a car clam carried by the cradle and movable into an out of engagement with a too car thereon, means for applying and holding said clamp during the dumping movement of the cradle, a rope connected to the clamp, a Winding drum connected to said rope, an arm pivoted to the cradle, a chain wheel connected to said drum, a chain connected with the chain wheel and arm, and a fixed abutment engageable with the arm during the remmees turn movement of the cradle to move the same in a direction to rotate said drum in 10 a direction to shift the clamp out of engage ment with the car.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto efix my signature.

ARTHUR; 1F. 

